From the Wurlitzer to the 808, These Are the Greatest Drum Machines Ever Made

There's a common sentiment among some musicians that drum machines have no soul. Don't tell that to Joe Mansfield. The drum machine collector and author of the new book Beat Box bought his first drum machine at age 15. It was a mint condition Roland TR-808 he picked up for approximately $200 with money he borrowed from his mom. He hasn't looked back since.

While listening to hip hop and rap in the early '80s, Mansfield noticed that the same percussion sounds were being used on multiple songs. Obsessed with music, he began checking the liner notes of albums for information on the gear used by artists like Run DMC, Afrika Bambaataa, and Soulsonic Force to see what they were using to create all those hypnotic beats.

If the liner notes proved to be dead ends, he'd talk to the sales associates at the Boston-area music stores that were near the record shops he frequented. An avid record collector, Mansfield spent a lot of time in those record stores building out his collection and quizzing employees about which album and song used what drum machine.

After purchasing the TR-808, Mansfield started recreating the beats from his favorite songs and using them in DJ sets. He was hooked. Soon he wanted to expanded his collection. Unfortunately, the Roland TR-909 and Oberheim DMX he wanted were too expensive. Instead, he started buying older and cheaper pre-programmed drum machines. "They were throw-aways and people didn't care about them," he says. "I thought they were cool."

Mansfield's drum machine and record collection grew in step. In the early 1990s he'd take road trips from Boston to Kansas City to search out more treasure. Music stores, thrift stores, swap meets -- any place that might yield the beat-producing machines, Mansfield visited. The results of those expeditions detail the history of the drum machine and are collected in his new book. From the Wurlitzer Side Man that provided samba, waltz, tango, and cha cha beats, to the world famous Roland TR-808 that was embraced by hip-hop artists, Mansfield's love of drum machines comes from the most soulful thing in the world: music.

When asked about motivating others to start collections of their own, Mansfield told WIRED, "Hopefully this doesn't inspire [them] to collect drum machines, because that means less for me." Spoken like a true collector.

Casio PT-7

The Casio PT-7 is an anomaly for a company known more for its keyboards. The tiny PT-7 has six rhythms that can be accompanied with the semi-detachable keyboard. With an internal speaker, it's an on-the-go band that fits in your bag.

Wurlitzer Side Man

The first commercially available drum machine is also Joe Mansfield's favorite design. Sold as an accompanying accessory for Wurlitzer organs in 1959, the solid mahogany frame with an all tube interior sold for $395.

Vox Percussion King

A drum machine made for drummers. The Vox Percussion King shipped with two foot pedals so drummers could trigger sounds with their feet while playing the drums. The Percussion King was used by Kraftwerk on their seminal Autobahn album and by Grandmaster Flash in Flash to the Beat.

PAiA Drummer Boy

The orange Drummer Boy from PAiA is an elusive drum machine built by Oklahoma city-based PAiA in 1971. Pre-set patterns could be combined with three percussion tones. If you're looking for one, check with Moby. He's a fan of this beat box.

Roland Rhythm Arranger TR-66

The Roland Rhythm Arranger TR-66 combines the 1970s-style wooden box with the company's distinct colored buttons. The TR-66 had 18 patterns that could be augmented with 10 analog drum and cymbal sounds. It can be heard in Roxy Music's "Dance Away."

PAiA Programmable Drum Set

The first programmable drum machine, the 1975 PAiA Programmable Drum Set expanded what could be done with a drum machine. Musicians could program any time signature and rhythm pattern. Plus you could save two scores at once, each with their own bridge. Unfortunately, the electronics of the device tended to fail at around the 20-year mark.

Mattel Bee Gees Rhythm Machine

You know you've made it as a band when you get your very own musical instrument. The Mattel Bee Gees Rhythm Machine was a tiny drum machine with a keyboard. And while the instrument was branded with the kings of disco, it was the kings of electronic music, Kraftwerk, that put the Rhythm Machine to use in the song "Pocket Calculator." You can see them using the instrument during a live performance in the video below.

Roland CompuRhythm CR-78

The first drum machine to use a microprocessor, the Roland CompuRhythm CR-78 could be used to program and store rhythm patterns. Up to four patterns could be stored on the separate WS-1 storage device/write switch. Introduced in 1978, it caught the ears of Blondie, who used the instrument at the beginning of their hit "Heart of Glass."

PNTM

In Soviet Russia, drum machine programs you. The PNTM out of the Soviet Union has a large bank of preset rhythms and drum pads so you could play long. No word on which Russian hits used this beast.

BOSS Dr. Rhythm DR-55

The BOSS Dr. Rhythm DR-55 traded internal patterns for easy-to-program portability. With only four drum sounds (snare, kick, cymbal, and hi-hat), the DR-55 became popular with bands like the Cure, Sisters of Mercy, and Depeche Mode, who used the drum machine throughout the album Speak and Spell.

Linn LM-1 Drum Computer

Built in 1978 by guitarist Roger Linn when he needed a machine to accompany him in his home, the Linn LM-1 Drum Computer is one of the most sought-after drum machines ever made. Only 500 were produced during initial production. The first drum machine to use digital samples of acoustic drums, the LM-1 ended up in the studios of Devo, Stevie Wonder, Gary Numan, and others. It can be heard in Human League's ode to desperation, "Don't You Want Me."

Roland TR-808

The drum machine that's been name-dropped in roughly 20 percent of all hip hop songs. Desired for its deep kick drum, the Roland TR-808 still provides the beats in some of your favorite songs. At launch in 1980, it had few fans. But its popularity grew out of its availability as a second-hand instrument. Check out the book for the entire story. It's hard to pick just one 808-heavy song, but I think "Planet Rock" by Afrika Bambaata & the Soulsonic Force is in the top five.

Roland TR-909

The followup to the 808, the Roland TR-909 did for house and techno what the 808 did for hip hop. As a second-hand instrument, it found its way into the Chicago and Detroit techno scenes. The built-in 16 step sequencer is a big part of the reason you danced with glow sticks until the wee hours of dawn in the 1990s. But like the 808, the 909 transcended a single genre. The 909 can be heard on tracks from Moby, LCD Soundsystem, Daft Punk, Phil Collins, Inner City, and Gorillaz. Below is the 909 laden Bassline by Mantronix.